A man in Singapore was caught on camera pouring hot water on rats trapped in cages at Upper Cross Street around 10pm on 1 September. The incident, highlighted by a Mothership reader, has been flagged as a case of animal cruelty.
Background
The video shows a man in a black T-shirt handling four rodent traps. He placed three cages containing rats on the ground, while another cage was situated slightly further away. A kettle was nearby. The man was joined by another individual who stacked the cages and poured hot water over them. The rats could be heard squealing before eventually stopping their movements. The witness, who was returning home from dinner, identified the men as employees of a durian shop and noted that the act was done openly along a busy walkway.
Rat infestation
An employee from the durian shop explained that the area had been dealing with a rodent infestation for several months. Despite seeking assistance from the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Jalan Besar Town Council, neighbours resorted to purchasing rat traps, including glue traps and metal cages. The employee mentioned that around 40 to 50 rats were caught within a few weeks, leading to a strong rodent stench in the area. He claimed that hot water was used to “kill the germs on the cage and smell of that area.”
No specific guidelines
The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) visited the site on 5 September and confirmed the rodent issue. Acres highlighted the lack of specific guidelines for humanely killing trapped rodents, which poses risks to both animal welfare and personnel health. They also raised concerns about the unregulated sale of cage traps to the public, which shifts the responsibility of rodent control to individuals. Acres has previously criticised glue traps as “inhumane and indiscriminate,” arguing that they do not address the root causes of pest infestations.
A spokesperson from Jalan Besar Town Council stated that their licensed pest control contractor conducts monthly treatments and found no rat burrows in the vicinity. The Town Council shared their rat control practices with Acres during a site meeting on 4 September and plans to contact the durian shop operators. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the spokesperson added.
According to the NEA, those facing rat infestations should engage licensed vector control operators. Effective strategies include removing food sources, denying entry to potential nesting areas, and maintaining cleanliness. In April, NEA announced the deployment of surveillance cameras with thermal detection capabilities to tackle rat issues, alongside stricter enforcement of waste management at food premises and bin centres.
Animal cruelty in Singapore
In January 2024, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) reported investigating 915 cases of animal cruelty and welfare issues in 2023, the highest number in 11 years. This figure represents a 79 per cent increase from 2022, with 357 cases involving intentional harm or suffering to animals. However, rodents fall under the Wildlife (Exemption) Order 2020, which permits the killing, trapping, or taking of certain species.
The incident at Upper Cross Street underscores the need for clearer guidelines and humane practices in rodent control to prevent further acts of cruelty.
